sIFR 3

sIFR 3

We dabbled with previous releases sIFR (essentially a tool to replace plain HTML text with custom Flash movies) but never could get it working just right so opted for plain text titles. The Flash 8/9 only version 3 looks like it could make web typography this much more flexible.

Comments

I prefer using P+C DTR when working on PHP projects – http://www.joaomak.net/util/dtr/ and highly recrecommend

Reasons:
1. no reliance on Javascript
2. no reliance on proprietry technologies i.e flash – although I don’t think Flash is evil, it just slows the page down when its used multiple times on the page.
3. Page is still accessible and searchable.
4. you can specify hover changes and transparency

Drawbacks:

1. cant specify id’s on tags to be replaced
2. cant select text
3. only one typeface can be used

I’m used to using the keyboard arrows and space to scroll the page, and perform other actions such as switching tabs. As soon as a flash object scrolls under the mouse pointer, flash captures the key press events, and I have to move it with the track pad to continue reading.

It’s bad enough for sites with flash adverts – you get used to making sure the pointer’s not near any adverts when you start reading – but hiding flash in non-obvious places all over the page means any keyboard-using reader is constantly having to context switch between mouse and keyboard.

I’m used to using the keyboard arrows and space to scroll the page, and perform other actions such as switching tabs. As soon as a flash object scrolls under the mouse pointer, flash captures the key press events, and I have to move it with the track pad to continue reading.

It’s bad enough for sites with flash adverts – you get used to making sure the pointer’s not near any adverts when you start reading – but hiding flash in non-obvious places all over the page means any keyboard-using reader is constantly having to context switch between mouse and keyboard.

I prefer using P+C DTR when working on PHP projects – http://www.joaomak.net/util/dtr/ and highly recrecommend

Reasons:
1. no reliance on Javascript
2. no reliance on proprietry technologies i.e flash – although I don’t think Flash is evil, it just slows the page down when its used multiple times on the page.
3. Page is still accessible and searchable.
4. you can specify hover changes and transparency

Drawbacks:

1. cant specify id’s on tags to be replaced
2. cant select text
3. only one typeface can be used